How Gaza's Tragedy Shapes Israel's Election Campaign

As Israel prepares for elections, Palestinians in Gaza face an uncertain future, with nearly 75,000 dead and about one million displaced, while the humanitarian crisis remains absent from the campaign agenda. Both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition and the opposition party led by Gadi Eisenkot focus solely on dismantling Hamas. Eisenkot, a former military chief and architect of the controversial "Dahiya doctrine" advocating overwhelming force against populated areas, leads in polls but offers no clear post-war plan for Gaza. Arab parties released a video highlighting the destruction, while residents report soaring food prices and halted commercial deliveries. Gaza residents express universal disillusionment, believing neither candidate will change their reality. With over 20,000 children killed since October 2023 and famine fears growing, many Palestinians view the election as a competition over who appears tougher toward Gaza, with some even postponing weddings until after the vote.